Special Session #08

SPECIAL SESSION #08

Alessandro Pozzebon

University of Padua, Italy

• alessandro.pozzebon@unipd.it

Nicola Trivellin

University of Padua, Italy

• nicola.trivellin@unipd.it

Alice Buffi

University of Pisa, Italy

• alice.buffi@unipi.it

Luca Turini

University of Pisa, Italy

• luca.turini@unipi.it

The coexistence of human activities and wildlife represents one of the most complex challenges in environmental management, especially in rural and mountainous areas, where the return of predators can compromise the sustainability of livestock farming. In recent years, predations by large carnivores have reached critical levels, making the adoption of effective strategies to curb the problem essential. These strategies strongly rely on state of the technologies within the fields of sensing, localization, motion capture and tracking, aiming at detecting in advance the presence of the predators based on the behaviour of the animals under attack or the predator itself, and thus taking the adequate countermeasures. These technologies may be thought to be worn by the animals, either the prey or the predator, or to be deployed in fixed positions around the grazing areas. Instruments like cameras, GPS trackers, satellite receivers, presence, and motion sensors and ultrasonic or optical deterrents, play a crucial role to increase the protection level of livestock, ensuring a future safe coexistence among cattle and wildlife.

In this context this Special Session, welcomes contributions relating, but not limited, to the following topics:

• Tracking techniques and technologies for livestock;
• Tracking techniques and technologies for wildlife;
• Presence and motion sensors for animal detection;
• Image acquisition and processing for the detection of predators;
• Ultrasonic and optical dissuasion technologies for predators;
• Wearable tools for the monitoring of livestock;
• Virtual fencing techniques.